It was morning when the barking was heard. The kids were mucking out as the two women worked on the problem of rabbit snaring.

“Are you absolutely sure that this will work Mandy?”

“Of course Cheryl. My pa taught me as a kid. You anchor one end to a root and place the noose along their runs you see. With fish off our menu we need a replacement.”

Cheryl shook her head.

“I don’t think it will work but you may as well have a go I suppose.”

When it was ready, they walked to the southern end of the farm and quickly attached the trap where the slippy bunnies would never notice. As they turned the barking became quite audible.

“It can’t be that pack,” Cheryl commented.

“You think they would have gone elsewhere. Come on, we have to get the kids.”

They rushed back and brought the children indoors before working on their options.

“What we need is pork and rat poison,” Cheryl suggested.

“I’ll make it up then,” Mandy muttered.

Once the bait was readied, they dashed to the top field and placed the bait in an open space.

“They are homing in,” the cop said.

“We need to wait this out then,” Mandy replied.

Once more safe and sound, they stood by the shattered windows with the M3’s at the ready.

“Do you think they will go for the bait then?”

“Of course they will,” Mandy said. “They should smell it for miles.”

The two kids waited by the stairs as the adults peered toward the yard. A sudden barking and flurry of movement caught their attention at once.

“Ruddy hell!” Cheryl exclaimed.

“Into your room kids,” Mandy said.

As they locked the door, the women opened up. One of the attacking pack went down, as the rest scattered.

“This time we are wide open,” Mandy observed.

“Let’s hope the blighters are not so smart then,” the cop replied.

A scraping from the rear told them otherwise.

“That’s all we need,” the cop hissed. “Stay here.”

She dashed into the kitchen, just as a dog leapt through the vacant window. She gave it a short burst and fell back, closing the door.

“I took out one but...”

A second animal leapt at the front and as Mandy fired, its friends raced toward the aperture.

“Upstairs now!” the cop shouted bolting for the stairs.

As they reached the kids bedroom they hammered loudly.

“Let us in right now!” the cop shouted.

The door was rapidly unbolted and they dashed inside as the pack reached the staircase.

“The buggers got in,” Mandy hissed.

“I’m really sure they cannot breach this door,” the cop replied.

“So we are trapped,” Mandy said softly.

The cop dashed to the window and gazed down.

“No point going that way. We shall have to wait this out.”

“They could be here for days,” Mandy said.

“Let’s hope not eh? Eventually they will get hungry and move away.”

A sharp clawing came from the landing as the hungry pack tried to gain entry.

“After this debacle,” Mandy said. “We are leaving for safer climes.”

Cheryl put her ear against the wood and listened.

“They appear to be resting now. We have a siege in operation. Don’t worry though. We can out starve these mutts.”

The hours passed but the pack did not seem that interested in moving.

“This is getting quite ridiculous,” Cheryl moaned.

Mandy produced the keys to the camper.

“I wonder if one of us can get to the vehicle without ending up as lunch?”

Cheryl smiled.

“I reckon that I could shin down the pipe. Then lead the dogs to the meat.”

As she took the keys Mandy said, “Good luck.”

Cheryl hung the weapon over a shoulder and climbed outside. She gripped the pipe tightly and slowly made it down to ground level. She ran to the corner and noted that the coast was clear.

“Now just run for it girl.”

She dashed across the entrance and leapt into the cab. When the engine was gunned, the pack charged downstairs in hot pursuit.

Cheryl smiled ruefully.

“Follow me boys.”

She drove slowly south toward the waiting pork and as she reached the location, the pack smelt the scent and ran to investigate. The cop watched them devour the meal and waited for it to take effect.

The killers were dead within the hour and she trundled back to the front door. She hooted the horn and waited.

“Collect our weapons,” Cheryl said as Mandy arrived with the kids.

As the last of these were loaded Mundy asked, “Where are we going now?”

Cheryl smiled.

“Why not Cuba? After all, that was my original idea.”

The trip south was without incident. After filling up at Pittsburgh, they rolled in front of the hotel at Raleigh for the overnight rest.

“The place looks untouched,” Mandy commented.

“It certainly does. Everyone upstairs. We have an early start in the morning.”

The adults found the dawn start quite easy, but the kids still yawned as the camper trundled off. The day had started off hot and sultry, but as they approached Savannah Georgia, the heavens opened up.

Huge droplets quickly made driving extremely hazardous and as they rounded the last corner, Cheryl was struggling to see properly.

“It must be a ruddy Atlantic storm. If it gets much heavier we will have to stop.”

As Mandy peered ahead, a roadblock suddenly came into view.

“Hit the brakes!”

Cheryl did so automatically but the camper slewed sideways and struck something hard.

“Everyone okay?” Mandy asked.

The kids picked themselves from the floor and nodded.

“Stay here,” Cheryl advised grabbing the M3.

She stepped out into the storm and saw the line of cars used to
block the road. A group of men in rain gear were dashing toward her.

“Stay right there,” she warned.

The men stopped and one hollered.

“We don’t welcome visitor’s lady.”

“Just trying to reach Miami that’s all. This is the only route we can take.”

“Strange place to be heading,” the taller gent replied.”

“Off to do some gambling are we?” a short bloke asked.

“That would be rather daft,” Cheryl pointed out.

“How many in the van,” the taller asked.

“One adult and two kids. We are heavily armed.”

The blokes grinned.

“I bet you are. Any disease?”

Cheryl shook her head madly and said, “We would be dead right?”

“You can come through but we keep the camper.”

“No deal.”

The taller walked forward menacingly.

“Look lady. We have rules here. If you enter, we take the transport and the weapons. It helps to build up our stock.”

“There must be thousands of cars here,” she said. “Concentrate on those.”

“You heard our rules,” the short bloke warned. “Take it or leave it.”

Cheryl dashed back to the cab and climbed in.

“What was that all about?” Mandy asked.

“They want everything. Some kind of militia group.”

“We daren’t get trapped here,” Mandy commented. “So what are we going to do about it?”

Cheryl thought for a moment and came to a decision.

“We head for Albany.”

She backed up and swung the camper around before returning to a junction. She swung right and floored the pedal. The storm soon passed and the sultry weather returned. By mid afternoon, the camper reached the silent town.

They slowed and dodged past the rusting vehicles with their deceased occupants. At the central junction, they turned left and took the south road toward Tampa.

The sun had set when they arrived and Cheryl slowed right down.

“We need to find a place to bed down,” she muttered.

From the rear Leslie called out, “That looks okay.”

Cheryl looked and spotted the line of chalets, and what appeared to be a central office. She parked up and wandered into the darkened interior.

“Anyone home?”

When she was greeted by silence, she walked behind the desk and gazed at the keys.

“Forty-four has always been my lucky number.”

She took them and found the right door quite easily. As she entered, the party joined her.

“I’ll fetch the food and weapons.”

Cheryl walked to the vehicle as the kids checked the small chalet out. It had a single bedroom and a very tiny kitchen area. When they checked the cupboards, they only found rats.

The main room was comfortably furnished and when the cop entered, they were waiting.

“Quite a good find this,” Mandy said.

“How is the bed?”

“We’ll have to squeeze in I’m afraid,” Mandy muttered.

Cheryl unpacked the food and as they ate the cold vegetables, she started to outline a plan.

“When we reach Miami I intend to find a police launch and use that for the sea trip. We should land near Matanzas then head into the uplands.”

“Sounds as though you want a farm,” Mandy said.

“You know how to run one. One thing I am sure off though. We should be far safer there.”

When the food was gone, they settled down to sleep but were quickly woken by the sound of trucks.

“What the hell?” Mandy called.

A loud thumping from the door was quickly followed by heavy boots smashing it open. Before the women could reach their weapons, a trooper stood in the doorway with his muzzle pointing straight at them.

“We seem to have a few civilians here then.”

“I’m a cop,” Cheryl protested stepping onto the floor. “Allow me to prove it.”

She reached into the pack and pulled out her id card. The trooper checked it out before handing it back.

“What’s going on?” Mandy asked.

“Third infantry corps are moving in mam. We have been moved from
Fort Lauderdale to create an armed perimeter.”

“We intend to reach Miami,” Cheryl informed him.

The trooper shook his head.

“That’s just not possible mam.”

The trooper escorted them outside where the senior officer was waiting.

“Found them in the chalet sir.”

Cheryl noted the three stars and waited.

“Staying overnight?”

“We are indeed sir,” the cop replied.

“They were trying to reach Miami sir. This one’s a cop.”

“Which division?” the general asked.

“Washington DC originally sir.”

The officer thought it over.

“We certainly need law enforcement to give us a hand. Our troops are helping with disposal of human remains.”

“In Miami?” Mandy asked.

“We have tens of thousands dead mam. Can you handle yourself?”

The women looked at each other.

“If necessary,” Mandy said.

“Rest up but in the morning report to southern command at Miami.
They’ll give you a detail.”

“What about the kids?” Cheryl asked with some concern.

“Refugee camp mam. They’ll be looked after.”

The officer strode off as the party returned to the chalet.

“You won’t just dump us?” Mundy asked.

“Of course not love,” Cheryl replied.

“We could return to the farm,” Mandy suggested.

Cheryl shook her head.

“That officer seems a roughneck to me. If we do turn back, his troops are just as liable to open fire. We continue south for the moment.”

At dawn, the camper moved off but the cop had no intention of following orders.

As they passed through St Petersburg, she headed for the west coastline.

“There should be small fishing communities,” Cheryl explained.

“How about the Everglades?” Mandy asked.

The cop raised her eyebrows.

“You really want to end up as croc meat?”

After three hours, they found a quiet cove with less than a dozen homes dotted along it. They reached the key and saw two fishing boats in harbour.

“I think that they will do nicely,” the cop grinned.

Before unloading the camper, Cheryl checked out the wheelhouse. When the party arrived, she took down a weird key and inserted it.

“Now if I press this...”

The panel lit up and she gazed at the fuel gauge.

“We only have enough to get there I’m afraid.”

“I don’t think we want to return anyway,” Mandy said.

“Okay, unload and then loosen the ropes eh.”

When everything was ready, Cheryl put the van key back inside its locker and stepped aboard the boat.

“Right kids. Next stop Cuba eh?”

When they reached the Florida Strait without incident, everything looked okay but dark clouds were rapidly gathering.

“We need to outrun this storm,” Mandy pointed out.

“I’m going as fast as this engine can take,” Cheryl muttered.

As the wind rose rapidly, the usually gentle sea became even rougher.
Cheryl held her course as they navigated the Cuban coastline to the south. The fishing boat heaved a little as waves started breaking over the side.

“I think we can turn landward shortly,” Cheryl said as another wave crashed over the bow.

“Just hold on kids,” Mandy said as the boat heaved again.

“I feel sick,” Mundy said.

“I don’t feel right either,” Leslie said.

Cheryl pulled the wheel around, trying to guide the boat toward the nearby coastline. As she did so, a monster wave rose from nowhere and smashed through the wheelhouse windscreen.

The strong force of the water floored everyone and the wheel spun wildly.

“We need to avoid the rocks!” Cheryl yelled trying to stand up.

A second wave smashed the north side and this time the vessel heeled onto its side. The kids crashed through the swinging door as the adults clung on.

“Mundy!” Mandy screamed as she saw them being sucked overboard.

The vessel lurched upright before a third wave struck the bow again. This time the wood splintered, and the wheelhouse suddenly became submerged.

Beneath the swirling sea, the women fought long and hard back to the tossing surface. The saw the vessel sink rapidly as Cheryl screamed out, “Mundy! Leslie!”

As the waves smashed over them, the women were driven toward the beach at a rapid rate of knots. They tried to fight it but exhaustion soon took over.

A series of waves finally tossed them onto the sand, where they lay quite insensible until dusk.

When awareness returned they sat up slowly and gazed around at the quiet gloom. The storm had gone now and bits of shattered wood lay upon the beach.

Mandy looked around as she stood until she spotted something.

“That may be them Cheryl.”

They ran along the shore until the bodies came into view. Still holding hands, revival was quite hopeless.

Cheryl fell to her knees and screamed, “Damn you all to hell!”

Mandy just stood, weeping bitterly at the tragic scene.

waiting for the next eposide

Ta..Finished Ep 12 today...A wee bit later, 200 odd episodes will appear...Watch out for it..Already written...

Cant wait!!, :)